Kerry: Iran election unlikely to alter nuke policy WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday he is not optimistic that Iran’s upcoming election will produce any change in the country’s nuclear ambitions, which the U.S. and others believe are aimed at developing atomic weapons. He also reiterated the long-standing U.S. position that it would be “unacceptable” for Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. Kerry’s comments came as the Obama administration again ramped up sanctions again...

US, Germany to Russia: Don’t send Assad missiles WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and Germany on Friday warned Russia not to endanger a planned peace conference for Syria or alter the balance of power in the Middle East by providing an advanced air defense system to President Bashar Assad’s embattled regime. Secretary of State John Kerry and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said the transfer of S-300 missile from Russia to Syria would prolong the country’s civil war, imperil atte...

State officials ask court to uphold ’heartbeat’ test in law LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas officials on Friday asked a federal judge to uphold the part of a new state law banning abortions 12 weeks into a pregnancy that requires doctors to test for a fetal heartbeat before performing the procedure. The state attorney general’s office asked U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright to allow the state to enforce that portion of the law while the constitutionality of the 12-week ban is being challenged in her ...

Judge orders Google to turn over data to FBI SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge has ordered Google Inc. to comply with FBI warrantless demands for customer data. U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston on Tuesday rejected Google’s argument that the so-called National Security Letters the company received from the FBI were unconstitutional and unnecessary. Illston ordered Google to comply with the secret demands even though she found the letters unconstitutional in March in a separate c...

Average US household far from regaining its wealth WASHINGTON (AP) — The average U.S. household has a long way to go to recover the wealth it lost to the Great Recession, a report by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis concluded Thursday. The typical household has regained less than half its wealth, the analysis found. A separate Federal Reserve report in March calculated that Americans as a whole had regained 91 percent of their losses. Household wealth plunged $16 trillion from the third q...

A respite for Medicare; Social Security no worse WASHINGTON (AP) — Medicare’s long-term health is starting to look a little better, the government said Friday, but both Social Security and Medicare are still wobbling toward insolvency within two decades if Congress and the president don’t find a way to shore up the trust funds established to take care of older Americans. Medicare’s giant fund for inpatient care will be exhausted in 2026, two years later than estimated last year, while Social...

‘The perfect poison’: Ricin used in 3 recent cases JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The key ingredient — castor beans — is easy to find. Crude instructions for extracting the lethal poison in them can be found on the Internet. And it doesn’t require a chemistry degree or sophisticated lab equipment. The FBI is investigating at least three cases over the past month and a half in which ricin was mailed to President Barack Obama and other public figures. Ricin has been sent to officials sporadically over th...

Woman’s jailing in Mexico highlights tourist risks PHOENIX (AP) — The weeklong detention of an American woman after Mexican authorities said they found 12 pounds of marijuana under her bus seat illustrates just one of the perils Americans face while traveling in Mexico. Yanira Maldonado, 42, walked out of a prison on the outskirts of Nogales, Mexico, and into her husband’s arms late Thursday after a judge dismissed drug-smuggling charges against her. The judge determined Maldonado was no longe...

White House: Asteroid ’poses no threat’ to Earth WASHINGTON (AP) — Have no fear: The White House says an asteroid more than 1 1/2 miles long poses no threat to planet Earth. The big rock called Asteroid 1998 QE2 was making its closest approach to Earth on Friday, keeping a safe distance of 3.6 million miles, or 15 times the distance between Earth and the moon. White House spokesman Josh Earnest was asked about the asteroid during a briefing. He says scientists have concluded the asteroid “po...

Judge rejects guilty plea from ex-state treasurerLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A federal judge has rejected a guilty plea from former Arkansas state Treasurer Martha Shoffner, who was accused of steering state business to a broker in return for cash payments. Shoffner tried to plead guilty Friday, but U.S. District Judge Leon Holmes wouldn't accept her plea because Shoffner said she didn't intentionally send the state's bond business to the broker. Holmes said he couldn't accept her guilty plea because...

Pryor defends vote against gun measure in 1st ad LITTLE ROCK (AP) — U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor pushed back Thursday against gun control advocates, using the first ad of his Arkansas re-election bid to defend his vote against expanded background checks for firearms purchases. Pryor's campaign said the 30-second spot will begin airing throughout Arkansas on Friday, more than 17 months before the election. It comes as the two-term Democratic lawmaker already faces an expensive television blitz from g...

Like your health care policy? You may be losing it WASHINGTON (AP) — Many people who buy their own health insurance could get surprises in the mail this fall: cancellation notices because their current policies aren’t up to the basic standards of President Barack Obama’s health care law. They, and some small businesses, will have to find replacement plans — and that has some state insurance officials worried about consumer confusion. Rollout of the Affordable Care Act is going full speed ahead...

Like Russellville, Springfield challenges new Walmart storeA week before Russellville residents vote on a zoning ordinance that allows the construction of a Walmart Neighborhood Market , voters in Springfield, Mo., will do the same. Walmart wants to open its fifth Neighborhood Market store in Springfield, but voters in the city of 160,000 are to decide on Aug. 6 whether to repeal zoning now allowing the store to be built. Springfield's City Council voted, 5-4, in February to allow land for what was on...

Lawmakers approve $16.5M for exchange LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas lawmakers on Tuesday approved spending nearly $16.5 million in federal funds to continue setting up a marketplace where more than 500,000 people can shop for insurance under the health care law. The Arkansas Legislative Council approved spending two grants from the federal government for Arkansas to set up its insurance exchange. The state has received more than $43 million in federal funds for the exchange. T...

Political landscape changes with improving economy WASHINGTON (AP) — Alleged misbehavior by the Internal Revenue Service and other federal agencies gives the GOP something else to talk about and investigate as the economy clearly, if slowly, recovers on President Barack Obama’s watch, robbing Republicans of a central argument against Democrats. Amid a series of recent positive economic reports, the GOP is revving up its portrayal of the Obama administration as scandal-ridden and inept, while l...

Obama’s speechwriter: from intern to top wordsmith WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Barack Obama decided to attend a memorial service in Arizona for victims of a deadly mass shooting that severely injured then-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, he needed a speech. And fast. The service was in two days. Jon Favreau, then chief White House speechwriter, was deep into writing Obama’s 2011 State of the Union address, due in less than three weeks. Up stepped his deputy, Cody Keenan. “I’ll do whatever you nee...

Obama’s drone rules leave unanswered questions WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama left plenty of ambiguity in new policy guidelines that he says will restrict how and when the U.S. can launch targeted drone strikes, leaving himself significant power over how and when the weapons can be deployed. National security experts say it’s imperative to leave some room in the guidelines, given the evolving fight against terrorism. But civil rights advocates argue too little has been revealed a...

Judge: Ariz. sheriff’s office profiles Latinos PHOENIX (AP) — A federal judge ruled Friday that the office of America’s self-proclaimed toughest sheriff systematically singled out Latinos in its trademark immigration patrols, marking the first finding by a court that the agency racially profiles people. The 142-page decision by U.S. District Judge Murray Snow in Phoenix backs up allegations that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s critics have made for years that his officers violate the ...

Obama: Sexual assault threatens trust in military ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — With a growing sexual assault epidemic staining the military, President Barack Obama urged U.S. Naval Academy graduates Friday to remember their honor depends on what they do when nobody is looking and said the crime has “no place in the greatest military on earth.” The commander in chief congratulated the 1,047 midshipmen graduating at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, telling the 841 men and 206 women that they ha...

Depot to host Memorial Day ceremonyVeterans and patriotic citizens of Russellville will celebrate Memorial Day on Monday by gathering to honor those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces beginning at 10 a.m. at the Depot downtown. Russellville Mayor Bill Eaton will make an opening statement and introduction. “This is a memorial service for those who have paid the ultimate price throughout the history of our armed forces,” Eaton said . Michael Benefield, a professor of econom...